Beef Vindaloo

Vindaloo came to India with the Portuguese. The original was carne de vinha d’alhos — meat in wine and garlic — and when it landed in Goa the wine became palm vinegar and the garlic met the local chilies. The name survives the journey: vinha and alhos.

Two things make it vindaloo rather than just a spicy curry. The vinegar, and the time the meat spends sitting in it. Skip the marinade and you have something else entirely.

Serves 6
Marinating time: 4 hours minimum, overnight is better

Ingredients

For the spice paste

8–10 dried Kashmiri chilies
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon black mustard seed
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
8 cloves garlic
1/2 cup red wine vinegar or palm vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt

For the curry

2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
3 onions, finely sliced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
Salt

To finish

Fresh cilantro

Method

Make the paste

Toast the dried chilies in a dry pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds a side, until they darken slightly and smell fragrant. Do not let them blacken — burnt chili turns bitter and there is no fixing it.

In the same pan, toast the cumin, coriander, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and mustard seed for a minute, until they release their scent.

Grind the toasted spices and chilies to a powder.

Blend the powder with the ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt into a smooth paste. Add a splash more vinegar if it is too thick to move.

Marinate

Put the beef in a non-reactive bowl and coat it thoroughly with the paste.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. This is where the dish is made. The acid works into the meat and the spice goes with it.

Cook

Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring, until deep golden brown — 15 to 20 minutes. Do not rush this. Pale onions give a thin, sharp curry; properly browned onions give it body and sweetness.

Add the marinated beef along with all the paste. Raise the heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the paste has darkened.

Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef is completely tender. Stir occasionally and add a little water if it looks dry.

Uncover for the last 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. It should cling to the meat, not pool around it.

Taste for salt and vinegar. Vindaloo should be sharp — if it tastes flat, a teaspoon more vinegar at the end will wake it up.

Scatter with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.

Chef’s notes

Kashmiri chilies give the deep red color without extreme heat. If you want it hotter, add a couple of hotter dried chilies rather than more Kashmiri.

No yogurt, no cream. Those belong to korma and tikka masala. Vindaloo is meant to be lean and sharp.

Like most braises, it is better the next day. The vinegar mellows and the spices settle.